Life is on a fast pace, I didnt myself realize that my very first
month in BASEL is coming to an end.. Landed here on Sept 05 and on
this Sunday am going to celebrate that moment:-)
On a side note, I would believe that the best way to understand the
society and culture in a new country would be to explore as much as
you can, with a little one's open mindset and that never ending
curiosity.. Having set this ground rule, I am now free to explore, and
of course to write about those experiences..
The weather has drastically changed; the mornings and evenings are
chilly and the day brings in that cool, soothing sunlight and
brightness everywhere.. It rains too, but they are so mild and gentle,
just to reassure the fact they do exist in this part of the world as
well.. You can easily survive without an umbrella here, with a heel
touching rain coat and a hat.. Believe me, umbrellas here are pretty
expensive.. I had to buy one, and it came with a price tag of close to
20CHF:-) Yeah, but that didnt kill the beauty that I enjoy in any
way..
My apartment's french window is full open now, and I could see this
Sunday morning lean traffic..
I had a whole set of experiences last evening, running through the
Swiss country side.. Badisher Bahnoff (The German Railway Station) is
just about five minutes walk from my apartment, and the track 2 there
takes you straight off to Germany.. Running along this side of the
tracks, I could cross the road and enter the relatively narrow stretch
that leads to the runners' paradise..Long, straight stretch of running
tack on the bank of a river, with thick country woods on the other
side.. It is just breath taking beauty... The serene waters of the
river, the hitherto unseen water brids floating along, the
meticulously pruned lawns on either sides, and of course couple of
small time Swiss Cafes off the banks.. A world of its own, and you
just pause for a moment and wonder.. Why am I here for work? Why not
just wander around these wilderness to relish this unblemished beauty
of nature? Well, life is weird, and it provides you with enough wisdom
to choose the priorities in life..And wandering penniless doesnt seem
to be fun either:-)
Well, the philosophy apart; hats off to Swiss Local government, who
maintains these country sides with utmost care and commitment.. They
love their country, and would also want to make sure that anyone who
drops in would share the same feeling.. I stopped mid-way and had a
large Swiss beer from a small cafe run by a swiss couple.. We talked a
lot, they in German, and I in a mix of English, Sign Language, a
little bit of writing, sketches etc.. The old lady kissed me on my
forehead when I called the day off and stepped out.. Come next week
end, and here I come..
BASEL is a small city, pretty laid out, and calm.. The night life here
is not so boisterous, people prefer to be in a resaturant and have a
traditional dinner, with lots of small talks.. For the young (and old
too:-) and adventurous, there is a dance bar nearby, just
couple of crosses from my apartment.. Retaining my audience is a tricky
business, and I need to play all my cards:-)
Looking forward to one of those lazy week-ends to explore yet another
whole bunch of new experiences.. Will be right back!
So long!
Roy
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